We have experienced seven months of COVID-19, wildfires, social unrest, protests. the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, murder wasps, and, most recently, the 2020 election. To overcome these challenges, I turned to writing postcards to voters and letters to friends. Writing calmed me, channeled my anxiousness, helped me feel useful, and gave me hope. The one postcard campaign I participated in had over 375,000 volunteers writing a total of 15 million postcards! Wow—if anything, we definitely helped keep the U.S. Post Office afloat! 

My major COVID-19 project—preparing the Art Access archives—surprised me as to how many magazines I’d made this past 28 years. You are reading the 250th Art Access magazine! I’m excited to let you know, so far, one set of Art Access archives is to be housed at the Seattle Public Library and another at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. 

The galleries, studios, and museums have been super resilient and creative. The majority have reopened. And those that have not, have retooled. For example, the Henry Art Gallery expanded its contemporary art programming while its building remains closed. Check out the new slate of virtual and small-scale-in-person programs at www.henryart.org and look for its upcoming first city-wide public exhibition, “Set in Motion,” featuring artworks installed on 20 buses from December through February.

The organization, Skagit Artists, has created Art Supplies for Kids (ASK) program to help out local art educators as they provide art instruction. For information, visit http://skagitartists.com/ask-art-supplies-for-kids and to donate, visit www.skagitartists.com/ask-donation. 100% of donations go to Skagit teachers for art supplies or art instruction.

I wish you all good physical and mental health. Be safe. Be well. Be Creative!

Somehow we’ll get through this together!

Debbi Lester

Art Access Publisher